N2/L1.1
More fractions in words
How do you write three quarters in figures?
1
3
3
One quarter would be 4. Three quarters is written 4. The 3 on the top of 4 tells us we have 3 lots of
1
the 4.
1
One tenth is written 10. How do you write three tenths? You write it with a 3 on the top to show you
1
3
have three lots of 10. So three tenths is written 10.
Here are some more examples of fractions in words.
Words
one quarter
two fifths
four fifths
Figures
Words
1
4
2
5
4
5
Figures
three quarters
three eighths
two thirds
3
4
3
8
2
3
Can you see how it works? The first number goes on the top, the second number on the bottom.
Mixing whole numbers and fractions
Suppose a film lasts one and a half hours. How do you write this in figures? You write the 1 then
1
the half, like this, 12 hours.
It’s the same with other mixes of whole numbers and fractions. For example:
1
•
two and a quarter written in figures is 24
•
one and three quarters written in figures is 14
•
one and two thirds written in figures is 13
3
2
9
Have a look at this number: 9910. It’s ninety nine and a fraction. The fraction has a 10 on the
bottom so it’s tenths. There is a 9 on the top of the fraction so it’s nine tenths. So the number
written in words is ninety nine and nine tenths.
© BBC 2011